Rice cuitivar designated ‘CL261’

ABSTRACT

The herbicide-tolerant rice cultivar designated ‘CL261’ and its hybrids and derivatives are disclosed.

This is the United States national stage of international application PCT/US2010/051780, international filing date Oct. 7, 2010. The benefit of the Oct. 8, 2009 filing date of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/249,641 is claimed under 35 U.S.C. §119(e). This application is also a continuation-in-part of international application PCT/US2010/051247, filed Oct. 4, 2010; which in turn also claims the benefit of the Oct. 8, 2009 filing date of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/249,641 under 35 U.S.C. §119(e).

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention pertains to the rice cultivar designated ‘CL261,’ and to hybrids of, and cultivars derived from the rice cultivar designated ‘CL261.’

BACKGROUND ART

Rice is an ancient agricultural crop, and remains one of the world's principal food crops. There are two cultivated species of rice: Oryza sativa L., the Asian rice, and O. glaberrima Steud., the African rice. Oryza sativa L. constitutes virtually all of the world's cultivated rice and is the species grown in the United States. Three major rice producing regions exist in the United States: the Mississippi Delta (Arkansas, Mississippi, northeast Louisiana, southeast Missouri), the Gulf Coast (southwest Louisiana, southeast Texas); and the Central Valley of California. See generally U.S. Pat. No. 6,911,589.

Rice is a semiaquatic crop that benefits from flooded soil conditions during part or all of the growing season. In the United States, rice is typically grown on flooded soil to optimize grain yields. Heavy clay soils or silt loam soils with hard pan layers about 30 cm below the surface are typical rice-producing soils, because they reduce water loss from soil percolation. Rice production in the United States can be broadly categorized as either dry-seeded or water-seeded. In the dry-seeded system, rice is sown into a well-prepared seed bed with a grain drill or by broadcasting the seed and incorporating it with a disk or harrow. Moisture for seed germination comes from irrigation or rainfall. Another method of dry-seeding is to broadcast the seed by airplane into a flooded field, and then to promptly drain the water from the field. For the dry-seeded system, when the plants have reached sufficient size (four- to five-leaf stage), a shallow permanent flood of water 5 to 16 cm deep is applied to the field for the remainder of the crop season. Some rice is grown in upland production systems, without flooding.

One method of water-seeding is to soak rice seed for 12 to 36 hours to initiate germination, and then to broadcast the seed by airplane into a flooded field. The seedlings emerge through a shallow flood, or the water may be drained from the field for a short period of time to enhance seedling establishment. A shallow flood is then maintained until the rice approaches maturity. For both the dry-seeded and water-seeded production systems, the fields are drained when the crop is mature, and the rice is harvested 2 to 3 weeks later with large combines.

In rice breeding programs, breeders typically use the same production systems that predominate in the region. Thus, a drill-seeded breeding nursery is typically used by breeders in a region where rice is drill-seeded, and a water-seeded nursery is used in regions where water-seeding prevails.

Rice in the United States is classified into three primary market types by grain size, shape, and endosperm composition: long-grain, medium-grain, and short-grain. Typical U.S. long-grain cultivars cook dry and fluffy when steamed or boiled, while medium- and short-grain cultivars cook moist and sticky. Medium grain rice is usually slightly wider than long grain rice and slightly shorter, with a length:width ratio between 2:1 and 3:1.

In the early 1980's about two thirds of Louisiana rice acreage was planted with medium grain cultivars. Market demand and the release of superior long grain varieties (e.g., superior yield and superior disease resistance) caused medium-grain plantings to decline considerably over the last 25 years or so. By the mid 1990s, Louisiana rice acreage was planted 65 percent long grains, and 35 percent medium grains. For the past 10 years or so, less than 5 percent of Louisiana rice acreage has been medium grains.

Long-grain cultivars have become the principal varieties grown, not just in Louisiana, but throughout the southern United States in recent years. However, there does remain demand for medium grain production in the region, and recently that demand has increased substantially. While there are several non-herbicide-resistant, medium-grain cultivars available for the region, such as ‘Jupiter,’ ‘Neptune,’ and ‘Bengal,’ there have been no prior releases of any herbicide-resistant, medium grain rice cultivars.

There is an unfilled need for herbicide-resistant, medium-grain rice cultivars, particularly those that are well-adapted for growing conditions in the southern United States. Medium grain rice is more common in California, but Southern U.S. medium grains differ somewhat from those grown in California. Additionally, the weed called “red rice” has been a substantial problem in medium grain rice fields in the southern United States. There have been no prior releases of any herbicide-resistant, medium-grain rice cultivars. There is a particular need for herbicide-resistant, medium-grain rice cultivars.

Although specific breeding objectives vary somewhat in different regions, increasing yield is a primary objective in all programs. Grain yield depends, in part, on the number of panicles per unit area, the number of fertile florets per panicle, and grain weight per floret. Increases in any or all of these components may help improve yields. Heritable variation exists for each of these components, and breeders may directly or indirectly select for any of them.

There are numerous steps in the development of any novel, desirable plant germplasm. Plant breeding begins with the analysis and definition of problems and weaknesses of the current germplasm, the establishment of program goals, and the definition of specific breeding objectives. The next step is selection (or generation) of germplasm that possess the traits to meet the program goals. The goal is often to combine in a single variety an improved combination of desirable traits from two or more ancestral germplasm lines. These traits may include such things as higher seed yield, resistance to disease or insects, better stems and roots, tolerance to low temperatures, and better agronomic characteristics or grain quality.

The choice of breeding and selection methods depends on the mode of plant reproduction, the heritability of the trait(s) being improved, and the type of seed that is used commercially (e.g., F₁ hybrid, versus pure line or inbred cultivars). For highly heritable traits, a choice of superior individual plants evaluated at a single location may sometimes be effective, while for traits with low or more complex heritability, selection is often based on mean values obtained from replicated evaluations of families of related plants. Selection methods include pedigree selection, modified pedigree selection, mass selection, recurrent selection, and combinations of these methods.

The complexity of inheritance influences the choice of breeding method. Backcross breeding is used to transfer one or a few favorable genes for a highly heritable trait into a desirable cultivar. This approach has been used extensively for breeding disease-resistant cultivars. Various recurrent selection techniques are used to improve quantitatively-inherited traits controlled by numerous genes. The use of recurrent selection in self-pollinating crops depends on the ease of pollination, the frequency of successful hybrids from each pollination, and the number of hybrid offspring from each successful cross.

Promising advanced breeding lines are thoroughly tested and compared to appropriate standards in environments representative of the commercial target area(s), typically for three or more years. The best lines become candidates for new commercial cultivars; those still deficient in a few traits may be used as parents to produce new populations for further selection.

These processes, which lead ultimately to marketing and distribution of new cultivars or hybrids, typically take 8 to 12 years from the time of the first cross; they may further rely on (and be delayed by) the development of improved breeding lines as precursors. Development of new cultivars and hybrids is a time-consuming process that requires precise forward planning and efficient use of resources. There are never assurances of a successful outcome.

A particularly difficult task is the identification of individual plants that are, indeed, genetically superior. A plant's phenotype results from a complex interaction of genetics and environment. One method for identifying a genetically superior plant is to observe its performance relative to other experimental plants and to a widely grown standard cultivar raised in an identical environment. Repeated observations from multiple locations can help provide a better estimate of its genetic worth.

The goal of rice breeding is to develop new, unique, and superior rice cultivars and hybrids. The breeder initially selects and crosses two or more parental lines, followed by self pollination and selection, producing many new genetic combinations. The breeder can generate billions of different genetic combinations via crossing, selfing, and mutation breeding. The traditional breeder has no direct control at the molecular level. Therefore, two traditional breeders working independently of one another will never develop the same line, or even very similar lines, with the same traits.

Each year, the plant breeder selects germplasm to advance to the next generation. This germplasm is grown under different geographical, climatic, and soil conditions. Further selections are then made, during and at the end of the growing season. The resulting cultivars (or hybrids) and their characteristics are inherently unpredictable. This is because the traditional breeder's selection occurs in unique environments, with no control at the molecular level, and with potentially billions of different possible genetic combinations being generated. A breeder cannot predict the final resulting line, except possibly in a very gross and generic fashion. Further, the same breeder may not produce the same cultivar twice, even starting with the same parental lines, using the same selection techniques. This uncontrollable variation results in substantial effort and expenditures in developing superior new rice cultivars (or hybrids); and makes each new cultivar (or hybrid) novel and unpredictable.

The selection of superior hybrid crosses is conducted slightly differently. Hybrid seed is typically produced by manual crosses between selected male-fertile parents or by using genetic male sterility systems. These hybrids are typically selected for single gene traits that unambiguously indicate that a plant is indeed an F₁ hybrid that has inherited traits from both presumptive parents, particularly the male parent (since rice normally self-fertilizes). Such traits might include, for example, a semi dwarf plant type, pubescence, awns, or apiculus color. Additional data on parental lines, as well as the phenotype of the hybrid, influence the breeder's decision whether to continue with a particular hybrid cross or an analogous cross, using related parental lines.

Pedigree breeding and recurrent selection breeding methods are sometimes used to develop cultivars from breeding populations. These breeding methods combine desirable traits from two or more cultivars or other germplasm sources into breeding pools from which cultivars are developed by selfing and selection of desired phenotypes. The new cultivars are evaluated to determine commercial potential.

Pedigree breeding is often used to improve self-pollinating crops. Two parents possessing favorable, complementary traits are crossed to produce F₁ plants. An F₂ population is produced by selfing one or more F₁s. Selection of the superior individual plants may begin in the F₂ (or later) generation. Then, beginning in the F₃ (or other subsequent) generation, individual plants are selected. Replicated testing of panicle rows from the selected plants can begin in the F₄ (or other subsequent) generation, both to fix the desired traits and to improve the effectiveness of selection for traits that have low heritability. At an advanced stage of inbreeding (e.g., F₆ or F₇), the best lines or mixtures of phenotypically-similar lines are tested for potential release as new cultivars.

Mass and recurrent selection methods can also be used to improve populations of either self- or cross-pollinating crops. A genetically variable population of heterozygous individuals is either identified or created by intercrossing several different parents. The best offspring plants are selected based on individual superiority, outstanding progeny, or excellent combining ability. The selected plants are intercrossed to produce a new population in which further cycles of selection are continued.

Backcross breeding is often used to transfer genes for a simply inherited, highly heritable trait into a desirable homozygous cultivar or inbred line, which is the recurrent parent. The source of the trait to be transferred is called the donor parent. The resulting plant should ideally have the attributes of the recurrent parent (e.g., cultivar) and the desired new trait transferred from the donor parent. After the initial cross, individuals possessing the desired donor phenotype (e.g., disease resistance, insect resistance, herbicide tolerance) are selected and repeatedly crossed (backcrossed) to the recurrent parent.

The single-seed descent procedure in the strict sense refers to planting a segregating population, harvesting a sample of one seed per plant, and using the one-seed sample to plant the next generation. When the population has been advanced from the F₂ generation to the desired level of inbreeding, the plants from which lines are derived will each trace to different F₂ individuals. The number of plants in a population declines each generation due to failure of some seeds to germinate or some plants to produce at least one seed. As a result, not all of the F₂ plants originally sampled in the population will be represented by a progeny when generation advance is completed.

In a multiple-seed procedure, the breeder harvests one or more seeds from each plant in a population and threshes them together to form a bulk. Part of the bulk is used to plant the next generation and part is put in reserve. The procedure has been referred to as modified single-seed descent or the pod-bulk technique. The multiple-seed procedure has been used to save labor at harvest. It is considerably faster to thresh panicles by machine than to remove one seed from each by hand as in the single-seed procedure. The multiple-seed procedure also makes it possible to plant the same number of seeds from a population for each generation of inbreeding. Enough seeds are harvested to compensate for plants that did not germinate or produce seed.

Other common and less-common breeding methods are known and used in the art. See, e.g., R. W. Allard, Principles of Plant Breeding (John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, N.Y., 1967); N. W. Simmonds, Principles of Crop Improvement (Longman, London, 1979); J. Sneep et al., Plant Breeding Perspectives (Pudoc, Wageningen, 1979); and W. R. Fehr, Principles of Cultivar Development: Theory and Technique (Macmillan Pub., New York, N.Y., 1987).

Proper testing should detect any major faults and establish the level of superiority or improvement over current cultivars. In addition to showing superior performance, there must be a demand for a new cultivar or hybrid that is compatible with industry standards or that creates a new market. The introduction of a new cultivar or hybrid may incur additional costs to the seed producer, the grower, processor and consumer for such things as special advertising and marketing, altered seed and commercial production practices, and new product utilization. The testing preceding release of a new cultivar or hybrid should take into consideration research and development costs as well as technical superiority of the final cultivar or hybrid.

In recent years, a few herbicide-tolerant rice varieties and hybrids have been successfully introduced to the market. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,545,822; 5,736,629; 5,773,703; 5,773,704; 5,952,553; 6,274,796; 6,943,280; 7,019,196; 7,345,221; 7,399,905; and 7,495,153; published International Patent Applications WO 00/27182 and WO 01/85970; and published U.S. patent application 2007/0061915. These herbicide-tolerant rice plants are resistant to or tolerant of herbicides that normally inhibit the growth of rice plants. Thus, rice growers now can control weeds that previously were difficult to control in rice fields, including “red rice.” “Red rice” is a weedy relative of cultivated rice, and had previously been difficult to control because it actually belongs to the same species as cultivated rice. Only recently, when herbicide tolerant rice became available, did it become possible to control red rice with herbicides in fields where cultivated rice was growing contemporaneously. There are currently only a very limited number of herbicide-tolerant cultivars and hybrids available commercially. There is a continuing need for new herbicide-tolerant cultivars and hybrids—that is, rice plants that not only express a desired herbicide-tolerant phenotype, but that also possess other agronomically desirable characteristics. Additional herbicide-tolerant cultivars and hybrids will provide rice growers greater flexibility in planting and managing crops.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

I have discovered a novel, herbicide-resistant, high yielding, early maturing, short stature, medium-grain rice cultivar designated ‘CL261.’ This invention also pertains to methods for producing a hybrid or new variety by crossing the rice variety ‘CL261’ with another rice line, one or more times. Thus any such methods using the rice variety ‘CL261’ are aspects of this invention, including backcrossing, hybrid production, crosses to populations, and other breeding methods involving ‘CL261.’ Hybrid plants produced using the rice variety ‘CL261’ as a parent are also within the scope of this invention. Optionally, either parent can, through routine manipulation of cytoplasmic or other factors through techniques known in the art, be produced in a male-sterile form.

In another embodiment, this invention allows for single-gene converted plants of ‘CL261.’ The single transferred gene may be a dominant or recessive allele. Preferably, the single transferred gene confers a trait such as resistance to insects, one or more bacterial, fungal or viral diseases, male fertility or sterility, enhanced nutritional quality, enhanced processing qualities, or an additional source of herbicide resistance. The single gene may be a naturally occurring rice gene or a transgene introduced through genetic engineering techniques known in the art. The single gene also may be introduced through traditional backcrossing techniques or genetic transformation techniques known in the art.

In another embodiment, this invention provides regenerable cells for use in tissue culture of rice plant ‘CL261.’ The tissue culture may allow for regeneration of plants having physiological and morphological characteristics of rice plant ‘CL261’ and of regenerating plants having substantially the same genotype as rice plant ‘CL261.’ Tissue culture techniques for rice are known in the art. The regenerable cells in tissue culture may be derived from sources such as embryos, protoplasts, meristematic cells, callus, pollen, leaves, anthers, root tips, flowers, seeds, panicles, or stems. In addition, the invention provides rice plants regenerated from such tissue cultures.

In other embodiments, the present invention provides a method for controlling weeds in the vicinity of rice. The method comprises contacting the rice with a herbicide, wherein said rice belongs to any of (a) variety ‘CL261’ or (b) a hybrid, derivative, or progeny of ‘CL261’ that expresses the imidazolinone herbicide resistance characteristics of ‘CL261.’

In some embodiments, the herbicide is an imidazolinone herbicide, a sulfonylurea herbicide, or a combination thereof.

In one embodiment, the rice is a rice plant and said contacting comprises applying the herbicide in the vicinity of the rice plant.

In another embodiment, the herbicide is applied to weeds in the vicinity of the rice plant.

In still further embodiments, the rice is a rice seed and said contacting comprises applying the herbicide to the rice seed.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method for treating rice. The method comprises contacting the rice with an agronomically acceptable composition, wherein said rice belongs to any of (a) variety ‘CL261’ or (b) a hybrid, derivative, or progeny of ‘CL261’ that expresses the imidazolinone herbicide resistance characteristics of ‘CL261.’

In one embodiment, the agronomically acceptable composition comprises at least one agronomically acceptable active ingredient.

In another embodiment, the agronomically acceptable active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of fungicides, insecticides, antibiotics, stress tolerance-enhancing compounds, growth promoters, herbicides, molluscicides, rodenticides, and animal repellants, and combinations thereof.

DEFINITIONS

The following definitions apply throughout the specification and claims, unless context clearly indicates otherwise:

“Days to 50% heading.” Average number of days from seeding to the day when 50% of all panicles are exerted at least partially through the leaf sheath. A measure of maturity.

“Grain Yield.” Grain yield is measured in pounds per acre, at 12.0% moisture. Grain yield depends on a number of factors, including the number of panicles per unit area, the number of fertile florets per panicle, and grain weight per floret.

“Lodging Percent.” Lodging is a subjectively measured rating, and is the percentage of plant stems leaning or fallen completely to the ground before harvest.

“Grain Length (L).” Length of a rice grain, or average length, measured in millimeters.

“Grain Width (W).” Width of a rice grain, or average width, measured in millimeters.

“Length/Width (L/W) Ratio.” This ratio is determined by dividing the average length (L) by the average width (W).

“1000 Grain Wt.” The weight of 1000 rice grains, measured in grams.

“Harvest Moisture.” The percentage moisture in the grain when harvested.

“Plant Height.” Plant height in centimeters, measured from soil surface to the tip of the extended panicle at harvest.

“Apparent Amylose Percent.” The percentage of the endosperm starch of milled rice that is amylose. The apparent amylose percent is an important grain characteristic that affects cooking behavior. Standard long grains contain 20 to 23 percent amylose. Rexmont-type long grains contain 24 to 25 percent amylose. Short and medium grains contain 13 to 19 percent amylose. Waxy rice contains zero percent amylose. Amylose values, like most characteristics of rice, depend on the environment. “Apparent” refers to the procedure for determining amylose, which may also involve measuring some long chain amylopectin molecules that bind to some of the amylose molecules. These amylopectin molecules actually act similar to amylose in determining the relative hard or soft cooking characteristics.

“Alkali Spreading Value.” An index that measures the extent of disintegration of the milled rice kernel when in contact with dilute alkali solution. An indicator of gelatinization temperature. Standard long grains have a 3 to 5 Alkali Spreading Value (intermediate gelatinization temperature).

“Peak Viscosity.” The maximum viscosity attained during heating when a standardized, instrument-specific protocol is applied to a defined rice flour-water slurry.

“Trough Viscosity.” The minimum viscosity after the peak, normally occurring when the sample starts to cool.

“Final Viscosity.” Viscosity at the end of the test or cold paste.

“Breakdown.” The peak viscosity minus the hot paste viscosity.

“Setback.” Setback 1 is the final viscosity minus the trough viscosity. Setback 2 is the final viscosity minus the peak viscosity.

“RVA Viscosity.” Viscosity, as measured by a Rapid Visco Analyzer, is a new but widely used laboratory instrument to examine paste viscosity or thickening ability of milled rice during the cooking process.

“Hot Paste Viscosity.” Viscosity measure of rice flour/water slurry after being heated to 95° C. Lower values indicate softer and stickier cooking types of rice.

“Cool Paste Viscosity.” Viscosity measure of rice flour/water slurry after being heated to 95° C. and uniformly cooled to 50° C. Values less than 200 indicate softer cooking types of rice.

“Allele.” An allele is any of one or more alternate forms of the same gene. In a diploid cell or organism, the two alleles of a given gene occupy corresponding loci on a pair of homologous chromosomes.

“Backcrossing.” Backcrossing is a process in which a breeder repeatedly crosses hybrid progeny back to one of the parents, for example, crossing a first generation hybrid F₁ with one of the parental genotypes of the F₁ hybrid, and then crossing a second generation hybrid F₂ with the same parental genotype, and so forth.

“Essentially all the physiological and morphological characteristics.” A plant having “essentially all the physiological and morphological characteristics” of a specified plant refers to a plant having the same general physiological and morphological characteristics, except for those characteristics derived from a particular converted gene.

“Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL).” Quantitative trait loci (QTL) refer to genetic loci that to some degree control numerically measurable traits, generally traits that are continuously distributed.

“Regeneration.” Regeneration refers to the development of a plant from tissue culture.

“Single Gene Converted (Conversion).” Single gene converted (conversion) includes plants developed by backcrossing wherein essentially all of the desired morphological and physiological characteristics of a parental variety are recovered, while retaining a single gene transferred into the variety via crossing and backcrossing. The term can also refer to the introduction of a single gene through genetic engineering techniques known in the art.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

‘CL261’ is a is a very high yielding, early maturing, short stature medium-grain rice variety that contains, by common ancestry, the same gene for herbicide resistance as that found in the cultivar ‘CL161.’ The pedigree for this line is ‘Bengal’/‘CL161.’ ‘CL161’ is an imazethapyr-resistant mutant derived from the variety Cypress. See U.S. Pat. No. 7,019,196. ‘CL261’ is highly resistant to imidazolinone herbicides, including but not limited to imazethapyr and imazamox. ‘CL261’ has a clear grain, with not much chalk. Its bold grain approaches the size of that from the conventional medium-grain varieties ‘Neptune’ and ‘Bengal.’

‘CL261’ was originally selected from the cross ‘Bengal’/‘CL161,’ made at the Louisiana State University Rice Research Station in Crowley, La. The line originated as an F5 bulk of a single progeny row. ‘CL261’ has a short stature, and is moderately resistant to lodging. It averaged 37 inches in height during two years of testing, as compared to 37 and 33 inches for cultivars ‘CL151’ and ‘CL131,’ respectively. ‘CL261’ has averaged 81 days from emergence to 50% heading, compared to 79 days for both of ‘CL151’ and ‘CL131.’ The leaves, lemma, and palea of CL261 are glabrous. The spikelet is straw-colored. The apiculus is light purple at heading, and the color fades as the grains approach maturity. The grain is non-aromatic. ‘CL261’ is susceptible to sheath blight and blast, and is moderately susceptible to straighthead disorder.

After the initial cross was made, the line was harvested and selected through early generations for phenotypic superiority for characteristics such as short plant architecture, grain shape and uniformity, seedling vigor, tiller number, and grain size. In later generations (seed increase), the line was selected for uniformity and purity both within and between panicle rows. Variants removed from seed-increase fields of ‘CL261’ were primarily taller or later plants. Other variants included any combination of the following: leaf pubescence, earlier, shorter, long grain, gold hull, lighter colored leaf, and variegated leaf. The overall incidence of variants less than 1 per 5,000 plants. Foundation seed rice was eventually grown beginning with the F₇ generation. Seed from the F₅, F₆, and F₇ generations were entered into an experimental line testing program, and were also tested at several locations in Louisiana rice producing areas. ‘CL261’ has been observed to be stable for at least three generations.

Across testing in several trials at multiple Louisiana locations during a three-year period, overall average grain yield was 7871 lb/A for ‘CL261,’ compared to 7700 lb/A for ‘CL131’ and 8683 lb/A for ‘CL151.’

VARIETY DESCRIPTION INFORMATION

Rice cultivar ‘CL261’ was observed to possess the following morphological and other characteristics, based on averages of tests conducted at multiple locations across the state of Louisiana during three growing seasons; data for varieties ‘CL131’ and ‘CL151’ are shown for comparison:

Number Trait Performance of Tests ‘CL261’ ‘CL131’ ‘CL151’ Main Crop Yield (lb./A) 7871 7700 8683 6 Ratoon Crop Yield (lb./A) Whole rice milling yield (%) 67.4 65.6 63.8 5 Total rice milling yield (%) 70.8 71.3 70.0 5 Seedling Vigor (Subjective rating of seedling vigor— 4 4 4 5 scale 1-9, with lower numbers indicating higher levels of vigor) Mean Plant Height (inches) 37 33 37 6 Mean Number of Days to 50% Heading 81 79 79 6 Reaction to Narrow Brown Leaf Spot (Cercospora 4.8 3.8 janseana) (0 = very resistant, 9 = very susceptible) Reaction to Leaf Smut (Entyloma oryzae) (0 = very resistant, 9 = very susceptible) Reaction to Brown Leaf Spot (Helminthosporium oryzae) (0 = very resistant, 9 = very susceptible) Reaction to Panicle Blight (B. gladioli) (0 = very 6.3 5.3 resistant, 9 = very susceptible) Reaction to Sheath Blight (Rhizoctonia solani) (0 = 7.5 6.5 very resistant, 9 = very susceptible) Reaction to Straighthead (0 = very resistant, 9 = 4.9 6.7 7.0 2 very susceptible) ‘CL261’ ‘Jupiter’ ‘Neptune’ Length-Rough (mm) 7.40 7.87 7.95 Width-Rough (mm) 3.22 3.20 3.25 L/W Ratio-Rough 2.30 2.46 2.45 Length-Brown (mm) 5.75 5.85 5.97 Width-Brown (mm) 2.89 2.86 2.85 L/W Ratio-Brown 1.99 2.05 2.09 Length-Milled (mm) 5.31 5.47 5.62 Width-Milled (mm) 2.66 2.68 2.55 L/W Ratio-Milled 2.00 2.04 2.20

Culm:

Angle (degrees from perpendicular after flowering): Erect (less than 30°)

Length: 94 cm (same as CL151; 10 cm longer than CL131)

Internode color (After flowering): Green

Strength (Lodging resistance): Moderately strong

Flag Leaf (at maturity):

Length: 21 cm

Width: 10 mm

Pubescence: Glabrous

Leaf Angle (after heading): Intermediate

Blade Color (at heading): Dark Green

Basal Leaf Sheath Color (at heading): Green

Ligule:

Length: 2 cm

Color (Late vegetative state): White

Shape: Cleft

Collar Color (Late vegetative stage): Pale Green

Auricle Color (Late vegetative stage): Pale Green

Panicle:

Length: 19 cm

Type: Intermediate

Secondary Branching Heavy

Exsertion (near maturity): >90%

Shattering: (<5%)

Threshability: Intermediate

Grain (Spikelet):

Awns (After full heading): Short and Partly Awned

Apiculus Color (at maturity): Purple

Apiculus Color (After full heading): Purple

Stigma Color White

Lemma and Palea Color (at maturity): Straw

Lemma and Palea Pubescence: Glabrous

Spikelet Sterility (at maturity): (<10%=highly fertile)

Grain (Seed):

Seed Coat (bran) Color: Light Brown

Endosperm Type Nonglutinous (Non-Waxy)

Endosperm Translucency Clear

Endosperm Chalkiness: (small, less than 10% of sample)

Scent: Nonscented

Shape Class (Length/width ratio):

Paddy—Medium (2.3-3.3) (viz, 2.30)

Brown—Short (2.0 or less) (viz, 1.99)

Milled—Medium (2.0-2.9) (viz, 2.00)

Length Width Thickness L/W 1000 Grains Grain Form: (mm) (mm) (mm) Ratio (grams) Paddy 7.40 3.22 1.99 2.30 24.6 Brown 5.75 2.89 1.77 1.99 20.1 Milled 5.31 2.66 1.70 2.00 16.9

-   Milling quality (% hulls): 20 -   Milling yield (% white kernel (head) rice to rough rice): 66-71

Protein (NIR): 7.5%

Amylose: 18.9%

Alkali Spreading value: 7.0 (1.7% KOH Solution)

Gelatination Temperature Type: Intermediate

Resistance to Low Temperature:

Germination and Seedling Vigor: Medium

Flowering (Spikelet fertility): High

Seedling Vigor not Related to Low Temperature:

Vigor: High

Insect Resistance: Susceptible to Rice Water Weevil (Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus), and to Rice stink Bug (Oegalus pugnax)

The variety is resistant to imidazolinone herbicides. The herbicide resistance profile is essentially the same as that of ‘CL161,’ being derived from common ancestry. The herbicide tolerance allows ‘CL261,’ its hybrids, and derived varieties to be used with Clearfield™ rice technology and herbicides, including among others imazethapyr and imazamox, for the selective control of weeds, including red rice. See generally U.S. Pat. No. 6,943,280.

Herbicide Tolerance and Susceptibility Characteristics:

The variety is tolerant to some herbicides, and susceptible to some herbicides, that normally inhibit the growth of rice plants. Among others, the herbicide tolerance and susceptibility characteristics of ‘CL261’ include or are expected to include the following. These characteristics are in some cases based on actual observations to date, and in other cases reflect assumptions based on common ancestry with ‘CL161’:

-   -   ‘CL261’ expresses a mutant acetohydroxyacid synthase whose         enzymatic activity is directly resistant to normally-inhibitory         levels of a herbicidally-effective imidazolinone;     -   ‘CL261’ is resistant to each of the following imidazolinone         herbicides, at levels of the imidazolinone herbicides that would         normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant: imazethapyr,         imazapic, imazaquin, imazamox, and imazapyr;     -   ‘CL261’ is resistant to each of the following sulfonylurea         herbicides, at levels of the sulfonylurea herbicides that would         normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant: nicosulfuron,         metsulfuron methyl, thifensulfuron methyl, and tribenuron         methyl;     -   ‘CL261’ is sensitive to each of the following sulfonylurea         herbicides, at levels of the sulfonylurea herbicides that would         normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant: sulfometuron         methyl, chlorimuron ethyl, and rimsulfuron.

This invention is also directed to methods for producing a rice plant by crossing a first parent rice plant with a second parent rice plant, wherein the first or second rice plant is a rice plant from the line ‘CL261.’ Further, both first and second parent rice plants may be from the cultivar ‘CL261,’ although it is preferred that one of the parents be different. Methods using the cultivar ‘CL261’ are part of this invention, including crossing, selfing, backcrossing, hybrid breeding, crossing to populations, the other breeding methods discussed earlier in this specification, and other breeding methods known to those of skill in the art. Any plants produced using cultivar ‘CL261’ as a parent or ancestor are within the scope of this invention. The other parents or other lines used in such breeding programs may be any of the wide number of rice varieties, cultivars, populations, experimental lines, and other sources of rice germplasm known in the art.

For example, this invention includes methods for producing a first-generation hybrid rice plant by crossing a first parent rice plant with a second parent rice plant, wherein either the first or second parent rice plant is ‘CL261.’ Further, this invention is also directed to methods for producing a hybrid rice line derived from ‘CL261’ by crossing ‘CL261’ with a second rice plant, and growing the progeny seed. The crossing and growing steps may be repeated any number of times. Breeding methods using the rice line ‘CL261’ are considered part of this invention, not only backcrossing and hybrid production, but also selfing, crosses to populations, and other breeding methods known in the art.

Optionally, either of the parents in such a cross, ‘CL261’ or the other parent, may be produced in male-sterile form, using techniques known in the art.

Further Embodiments of the Invention

As used herein, the term “plant” includes plant cells, plant protoplasts, plant cells of tissue culture from which rice plants can be regenerated, plant calli, plant clumps, and plant cells that are intact in plants or parts of plants, such as pollen, flowers, embryos, ovules, seeds, pods, leaves, stems, anthers and the like. Thus, another aspect of this invention is to provide for cells that, upon growth and differentiation, produce a cultivar having essentially all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of ‘CL261.’

Techniques for transforming with and expressing desired structural genes and cultured cells are known in the art. Also, as known in the art, rice may be transformed and regenerated such that whole plants containing and expressing desired genes under regulatory control are obtained. General descriptions of plant expression vectors and reporter genes and transformation protocols can be found, for example, in Gruber et al., “Vectors for Plant Transformation, in Methods in Plant Molecular Biology & Biotechnology” in Glich et al. (Eds. pp. 89-119, CRC Press, 1993). For example, expression vectors and gene cassettes with the GUS reporter are available from Clone Tech Laboratories, Inc. (Palo Alto, Calif.), and expression vectors and gene cassettes with luciferase reporter are available from Promega Corp. (Madison, Wis.). General methods of culturing plant tissues are provided, for example, by Maki et al., “Procedures for Introducing Foreign DNA into Plants” in Methods in Plant Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Glich et al., (Eds. pp. 67-88 CRC Press, 1993); by Phillips et al., “Cell-Tissue Culture and In-Vitro Manipulation” in Corn & Corn Improvement, 3rd Edition; and by Sprague et al., (Eds. pp. 345-387) American Society of Agronomy Inc., 1988. Methods of introducing expression vectors into plant tissue include the direct infection or co-cultivation of plant cells with Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Horsch et al., Science, 227:1229 (1985). Descriptions of Agrobacterium vectors systems and methods for Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer are provided by Gruber et al., supra.

Useful methods include but are not limited to expression vectors introduced into plant tissues using a direct gene transfer method such as microprojectile-mediated delivery, DNA injection, electroporation and the like. More preferably expression vectors are introduced into plant tissues using the microprojectile media delivery with biolistic device- or Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transformed plants obtained with the germplasm of ‘CL261’ are intended to be within the scope of this invention.

The present invention also provides rice plants regenerated from a tissue culture of the ‘CL261’ variety or hybrid plant. As is known in the art, tissue culture can be used for the in vitro regeneration of a rice plant. For example, see Chu, Q. R. et al. (1999) “Use of bridging parents with high anther culturability to improve plant regeneration and breeding value in rice,” Rice Biotechnology Quarterly, 38:25-26; Chu, Q. R. et al., “A novel plant regeneration medium for rice anther culture of Southern U.S. crosses,” Rice Biotechnology Quarterly, 35:15-16 (1998); Chu, Q. R. et al., “A novel basal medium for embryogenic callus induction of Southern U.S. crosses,” Rice Biotechnology Quarterly, 32:19-20 (1997); and Oono, K., “Broadening the Genetic Variability By Tissue Culture Methods,” Jap. J. Breed., 33 (Supp. 2), 306-307 (1983). Thus, another aspect of this invention is to provide cells that, upon growth and differentiation, produce rice plants having all, or essentially all, of the physiological and morphological characteristics of variety ‘CL261.’

Unless context clearly indicates otherwise, references in the specification and claims to ‘CL261’ should be understood also to include single gene conversions of ‘CL261.’ male sterility, other sources of herbicide resistance, resistance for bacterial, fungal, or viral disease, insect resistance, male fertility, enhanced nutritional quality, industrial usage, yield stability and yield enhancement.

Duncan et al., Planta, 165:322-332 (1985) reflects that 97% of the plants cultured that produced callus were capable of plant regeneration. Subsequent experiments with both inbreds and hybrids produced 91% regenerable callus that produced plants. In a further study, Songstad et al., Plant Cell Reports, 7:262-265 (1988) reported several media additions that enhanced regenerability of callus of two inbred lines. Other published reports also indicate that “nontraditional” tissues are capable of producing somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration. K. P. Rao et al., Maize Genetics Cooperation Newsletter, 60:64-65 (1986), refers to somatic embryogenesis from glume callus cultures and B. V. Conger et al., Plant Cell Reports, 6:345-347 (1987) reported somatic embryogenesis from the tissue cultures of corn leaf segments. These methods of obtaining plants are routinely used with a high rate of success.

Tissue culture of corn is described in European Patent Application No. 160,390. Corn tissue culture procedures, which may be adapted for use with rice, are also described in Green et al., “Plant Regeneration in Tissue Culture of Maize,” Maize for Biological Research (Plant Molecular Biology Association, Charlottesville, Va., pp. 367-372, 1982) and in Duncan et al., “The Production of Callus Capable of Plant Regeneration from Immature Embryos of Numerous Zea Mays Genotypes,” 165 Planta, 322:332 (1985). Thus, another aspect of this invention is to provide cells that, upon growth and differentiation, produce rice plants having all, or essentially all, of the physiological and morphological characteristics of hybrid rice line ‘CL261.’ See T. P. Croughan et al., (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1991) Rice (Oryza sativa L.): Establishment of Callus Culture and the regeneration of Plants, in Biotechnology in Agriculture and Forestry (19-37).

With the advent of molecular biological techniques that allow the isolation and characterization of genes that encode specific protein products, it is now possible to routinely engineer plant genomes to incorporate and express foreign genes, or additional or modified versions of native, or endogenous, genes (perhaps driven by different promoters) in order to alter the traits of a plant in a specific manner. Such foreign, additional, and modified genes are herein referred to collectively as “transgenes.” Over the last 15 to 20 years, several methods for producing transgenic plants have been developed, and the present invention, in particular embodiments, also relates to transformed versions of ‘CL261.’

An expression vector is constructed that will function in plant cells. Such a vector comprises a DNA coding sequence under the control of or operatively linked to a regulatory element (e.g., a promoter). The expression vector may contain one or more such operably linked coding sequence/regulatory element combinations. The vector(s) may be in the form of a plasmid, and can be used alone or in combination with other plasmids to provide transformed rice plants.

Expression Vectors

Expression vectors commonly include at least one genetic “marker,” operably linked to a regulatory element (e.g., a promoter) that allows transformed cells containing the marker to be either recovered by negative selection, i.e., inhibiting growth of cells that do not contain the selectable marker gene, or by positive selection, i.e., screening for the product encoded by the genetic marker. Many commonly used selectable marker genes for plant transformation are known in the art, and include, for example, genes that code for enzymes that metabolically detoxify a selective chemical inhibitor such as an antibiotic or a herbicide, or genes that encode an altered target that is insensitive to such an inhibitor. Positive selection methods are also known in the art.

For example, a commonly used selectable marker gene for plant transformation is that for neomycin phosphotransferase II (nptII), isolated from transposon Tn5, whose expression confers resistance to kanamycin. See Fraley et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 80:4803 (1983). Another commonly used selectable marker gene is the hygromycin phosphotransferase gene, which confers resistance to the antibiotic hygromycin. See Vanden Elzen et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 5:299 (1985).

Additional selectable marker genes of bacterial origin that confer resistance to one or more antibiotics include gentamycin acetyl transferase, streptomycin phosphotransferase, aminoglycoside-3′-adenyl transferase, and the bleomycin resistance determinant. Hayford et al., Plant Physiol., 86:1216 (1988), Jones et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 210:86 (1987), Svab et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 14:197 (1990); Plant Mol. Biol., 7:171 (1986). Other selectable marker genes confer resistance to herbicides such as glyphosate, glufosinate, or broxynil. Comai et al., Nature, 317:741-744 (1985); Gordon-Kamm et al., Plant Cell, 2:603-618 (1990); and Stalker et al., Science, 242:419-423 (1988).

Selectable marker genes for plant transformation of non-bacterial origin include, for example, mouse dihydrofolate reductase, plant 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase, and plant acetolactate synthase. Eichholtz et al., Somatic Cell Mol. Genet. 13:67 (1987); Shah et al., Science, 233:478 (1986); and Charest et al., Plant Cell Rep., 8:643 (1990).

Another class of marker genes for plant transformation employs screening of presumptively transformed plant cells, rather than selection for resistance to a toxic substance such as an antibiotic. These marker genes are particularly useful to quantify or visualize the spatial pattern of expression of a gene in specific tissues, and are frequently referred to as reporter genes because they may be fused to the target gene or regulatory sequence. Commonly used reporter genes include glucuronidase (GUS), galactosidase, luciferase, chloramphenicol, and acetyltransferase. See Jefferson, R. A., Plant Mol. Biol. Rep., 5:387 (1987); Teeri et al., EMBO J., 8:343 (1989); Koncz et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 84:131 (1987); and DeBlock et al., EMBO J., 3:1681 (1984). Another approach to identifying relatively rare transformation events has been the use of a gene that encodes a dominant constitutive regulator of the Zea mays anthocyanin pigmentation pathway. Ludwig et al., Science, 247:449 (1990).

The Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) gene has been used as a marker for gene expression in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. See Chalfie et al., Science, 263:802 (1994). GFP and mutants of GFP may be used as screenable markers.

Genes included in expression vectors are driven by a nucleotide sequence comprising a regulatory element, for example, a promoter. Many suitable promoters are known in the art, as are other regulatory elements that may be used either alone or in combination with promoters.

As used herein, “promoter” refers to a region of DNA upstream from the transcription initiation site, a region that is involved in recognition and binding of RNA polymerase and other proteins to initiate transcription. A “plant promoter” is a promoter capable of initiating transcription in plant cells. Examples of promoters under developmental control include promoters that preferentially initiate transcription in certain tissues, such as leaves, roots, seeds, fibers, xylem vessels, tracheids, or sclerenchyma. Such promoters are referred to as “tissue-preferred.” Promoters that initiate transcription only in certain tissue are referred to as “tissue-specific.” A “cell type” specific promoter primarily drives expression in certain cell types in one or more organs, for example, vascular cells in roots or leaves. An “inducible” promoter is a promoter that is under environmental control. Examples of environmental conditions that may induce transcription by inducible promoters include anaerobic conditions or the presence of light. Tissue-specific, tissue-preferred, cell type specific, and inducible promoters are examples of “non-constitutive” promoters. A “constitutive” promoter is a promoter that is generally active under most environmental conditions.

A. Inducible Promoters

An inducible promoter is operably linked to a gene for expression in rice. Optionally, the inducible promoter is operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequence that is operably linked to a gene for expression in rice. With an inducible promoter the rate of transcription increases in response to an inducing agent.

Any suitable inducible promoter may be used in the present invention. See Ward et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 22:361-366 (1993). Examples include those from the ACEI system, which responds to copper, Meft et al., PNAS, 90:4567-4571 (1993); In2 gene from maize, which responds to benzenesulfonamide herbicide safeners, Hershey et al., Mol. Gen. Genetics, 227:229-237 (1991); Gatz et al., Mol. Gen. Genetics, 243:32-38 (1994); and Tet repressor from Tn10, Gatz, Mol. Gen. Genetics, 227:229-237 (1991). A preferred inducible promoter is one that responds to an inducing agent to which plants do not normally respond, for example, the inducible promoter from a steroid hormone gene, the transcriptional activity of which is induced by a glucocorticosteroid hormone. See Schena et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., U.S.A. 88:0421 (1991).

B. Constitutive Promoters

A constitutive promoter is operably linked to a gene for expression in rice, or the constitutive promoter is operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequence that is operably linked to a gene for expression in rice.

Constitutive promoters may also be used in the instant invention. Examples include promoters from plant viruses such as the 35S promoter from cauliflower mosaic virus, Odell et al., Nature, 313:810-812 (1985), and the promoters from the rice actin gene, McElroy et al., Plant Cell, 2:163-171 (1990); ubiquitin, Christensen et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 12:619-632 (1989) and Christensen et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 18:675-689 (1992); pEMU, Last et al., Theor. Appl. Genet., 81:581-588 (1991); MAS, Velten et al., EMBO J., 3:2723-2730 (1984); and maize H3 histone, Lepetit et al., Mol. Gen. Genetics, 231:276-285 (1992) and Atanassova et al., Plant Journal, 2 (3): 291-300 (1992).

An ALS (AHAS) promoter, such as the XbaI/NcoI fragment 5′ from the Brassica napus ALS3 structural gene (or a nucleotide sequence similar to said XbaI/NcoI fragment), may be used as a constitutive promoter. See PCT Application WO 96/30530. The promoter from a rice ALS (AHAS) gene may also be used. See the sequences disclosed in PCT Application WO 01/85970; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,943,280.

C. Tissue-Specific or Tissue-Preferred Promoters

A tissue-specific promoter is operably linked to a gene for expression in rice. Optionally, the tissue-specific promoter is operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequence that is operably linked to a gene for expression in rice. Transformed plants produce the expression product of the transgene exclusively, or preferentially, in specific tissue(s).

Any tissue-specific or tissue-preferred promoter may be used in the instant invention. Examples of tissue-specific or tissue-preferred promoters include those from the phaseolin gene, Murai et al., Science, 23:476-482 (1983), and Sengupta-Gopalan et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 82:3320-3324 (1985); a leaf-specific and light-induced promoter such as that from cab or rubisco, Simpson et al., EMBO J., 4(11):2723-2729 (1985) and Timko et al., Nature, 318:579-582 (1985); an anther-specific promoter such as that from LAT52, Twell et al., Mol. Gen. Genetics, 217:240-245 (1989); a pollen-specific promoter such as that from Zm13, Guerrero et al., Mol. Gen. Genetics, 244:161-168 (1993); or a microspore-preferred promoter such as that from apg, Twell et al., Sex. Plant Reprod., 6:217-224 (1993).

Signal Sequences for Targeting Proteins to Subcellular Compartments

Transport of protein or peptide molecules produced by transgenes to a subcellular compartment such as a chloroplast, vacuole, peroxisome, glyoxysome, cell wall, or mitochondrion, or for secretion into an apoplast, is accomplished by operably linking a nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequence to the 5′ or 3′ end of a gene encoding the protein or peptide of interest. Targeting sequences at the 5′ or 3′ end of the structural gene may determine, during protein synthesis and processing, where the encoded protein is ultimately compartmentalized.

Many signal sequences are known in the art. See, for example, Becker et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 20:49 (1992); Close, P. S., Master's Thesis, Iowa State University (1993); Knox, C. et al., “Structure and Organization of Two Divergent Alpha-Amylase Genes from Barley,” Plant Mol. Biol., 9:3-17 (1987); Lerner et al., Plant Physiol., 91:124-129 (1989); Fontes et al., Plant Cell, 3:483-496 (1991); Matsuoka et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 88:834 (1991); Gould et al., J. Cell. Biol., 108:1657 (1989); Creissen et al., Plant J., 2:129 (1991); Kalderon et al., “A short amino acid sequence able to specify nuclear location,” Cell, 39:499-509 (1984); and Steifel et al., “Expression of a maize cell wall hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein gene in early leaf and root vascular differentiation,” Plant Cell, 2:785-793 (1990).

Foreign Protein Genes and Agronomic Genes

Agronomically significant genes that may be transformed into rice plants in accordance with the present invention include, for example, the following:

1. Genes that Confer Resistance to Pests or Disease:

-   -   A. Plant disease resistance genes. Plant defenses are often         activated by specific interaction between the product of a         disease resistance gene (R) in the plant and the product of a         corresponding avirulence (Avr) gene in the pathogen. A plant may         be transformed with a cloned resistance gene to engineer plants         that are resistant to specific pathogen strains. See, e.g.,         Jones et al., Science 266:789 (1994) (cloning of the tomato Cf-9         gene for resistance to Cladosporium fulvum); Martin et al.,         Science 262:1432 (1993) (tomato Pto gene for resistance to         Pseudomonas syringae pv. Tomato encodes a protein kinase); and         Mindrinos et al., Cell 78:1089 (1994) (Arabidopsis RSP2 gene for         resistance to Pseudomonas syringae).     -   B. A Bacillus thuringiensis protein, a derivative thereof, or a         synthetic polypeptide modeled thereon. See, e.g., Geiser et al.,         Gene 48:109 (1986), disclosing the cloning and nucleotide         sequence of a Bt-endotoxin gene. DNA molecules encoding         endotoxin genes may be obtained from American Type Culture         Collection, Manassas, Va., e.g., under ATCC Accession Nos.         40098, 67136, 31995, and 31998.     -   C. A lectin. See, for example, Van Damme et al., Plant Molec.         Biol. 24:25 (1994), disclosing the nucleotide sequences of         several Clivia miniata mannose-binding lectin genes.     -   D. A vitamin-binding protein such as avidin. See PCT Application         US93/06487. This disclosure teaches the use of avidin and avidin         homologues as larvicides against insect pests.     -   E. An enzyme inhibitor, e.g., a protease or proteinase inhibitor         or an amylase inhibitor. See, e.g., Abe et al., J. Biol. Chem.         262:16793 (1987) (nucleotide sequence of rice cysteine         proteinase inhibitor); Huub et al., Plant Molec. Biol.         21:985 (1993) (nucleotide sequence of cDNA encoding tobacco         proteinase inhibitor 1); and Sumitani et al., Biosci. Biotech.         Biochem. 57:1243 (1993) (nucleotide sequence of Streptomyces         nitrosporeus-amylase inhibitor).     -   F. An insect-specific hormone or pheromone such as an         ecdysteroid and juvenile hormone, a variant thereof, a mimetic         based thereon, or an antagonist or agonist thereof. See, e.g.,         Hammock et al., Nature, 344:458 (1990), disclosing baculovirus         expression of cloned juvenile hormone esterase, an inactivator         of juvenile hormone.     -   G. An insect-specific peptide or neuropeptide that, upon         expression, disrupts the physiology of the affected pest. See,         e.g., Regan, J. Biol. Chem. 269:9 (1994) (expression cloning         yields DNA coding for insect diuretic hormone receptor); and         Pratt et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm., 163:1243 (1989) (an         allostatin in Diploptera puntata). See also U.S. Pat. No.         5,266,317 to Tomalski et al., disclosing genes encoding         insect-specific, paralytic neurotoxins.     -   H. An insect-specific venom produced in nature by a snake, a         wasp, etc. For example, see Pang et al., Gene, 116:165 (1992),         concerning heterologous expression in plants of a gene coding         for a scorpion insectotoxic peptide.     -   I. An enzyme responsible for hyperaccumulation of a monoterpene,         a sesquiterpene, a steroid, hydroxamic acid, a phenylpropanoid         derivative or another non-protein molecule with insecticidal         activity.     -   J. An enzyme involved in the modification, including         post-translational modification, of a biologically active         molecule; e.g., a glycolytic enzyme, a proteolytic enzyme, a         lipolytic enzyme, a nuclease, a cyclase, a transaminase, an         esterase, a hydrolase, a phosphatase, a kinase, a phosphorylase,         a polymerase, an elastase, a chitinase, or a glucanase, either         natural or synthetic. See PCT Application WO 9302197 to Scott et         al., which discloses the nucleotide sequence of a callase gene.         DNA molecules that contain chitinase-encoding sequences can be         obtained, for example, from the American Type Culture Collection         under Accession Nos. 39637 and 67152. See also Kramer et al.,         Insect Biochem. Molec. Biol. 23:691 (1993), which discloses the         nucleotide sequence of a cDNA encoding tobacco hookworm         chitinase; and Kawalleck et al., Plant Molec. Biol., 21:673         (1993), which discloses the nucleotide sequence of the parsley         ubi4-2 polyubiquitin gene.     -   K. A molecule that stimulates signal transduction. See, e.g.,         Botella et al., Plant Molec. Biol., 24:757 (1994), which         discloses nucleotide sequences for mung bean calmodulin cDNA         clones; and Griess et al., Plant Physiol., 104:1467 (1994),         which discloses the nucleotide sequence of a maize calmodulin         cDNA clone.     -   L. An antimicrobial or amphipathic peptide. See PCT Application         WO 9516776 (disclosing peptide derivatives of Tachyplesin that         inhibit fungal plant pathogens); and PCT Application WO 9518855         (disclosing synthetic antimicrobial peptides that confer disease         resistance).     -   M. A membrane permease, a channel former or a channel blocker.         See, e.g., Jaynes et al., Plant Sci., 89:43 (1993), which         discloses heterologous expression of a cecropin lytic peptide         analog to render transgenic tobacco plants resistant to         Pseudomonas solanacearum.     -   N. A viral-invasive protein or a complex toxin derived         therefrom. For example, the accumulation of viral coat proteins         in transformed plant cells induces resistance to viral infection         or disease development caused by the virus from which the coat         protein gene is derived, as well as by related viruses. Coat         protein-mediated resistance has been conferred upon transformed         plants against alfalfa mosaic virus, cucumber mosaic virus,         tobacco streak virus, potato virus X, potato virus Y, tobacco         etch virus, tobacco rattle virus, and tobacco mosaic virus. See         Beachy et al., Ann. Rev. Phytopathol., 28:451 (1990).     -   O. An insect-specific antibody or an immunotoxin derived         therefrom. Thus, an antibody targeted to a critical metabolic         function in the insect gut inactivates an affected enzyme,         killing the insect. See Taylor et al., Abstract #497, Seventh         Int'l Symposium on Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions         (Edinburgh, Scotland, 1994) (enzymatic inactivation in         transgenic tobacco via production of single-chain antibody         fragments).     -   P. A virus-specific antibody. See, e.g., Tavladoraki et al.,         Nature, 366:469 (1993), showing protection of transgenic plants         expressing recombinant antibody genes from virus attack.     -   Q. A developmental-arrest protein produced in nature by a         pathogen or a parasite. For example, fungal         endo-1,4-D-polygalacturonases facilitate fungal colonization and         plant nutrient release by solubilizing plant cell wall         homo-1,4-D-galacturonase. See Lamb et al., Bio/Technology,         10:1436 (1992). The cloning and characterization of a gene that         encodes a bean endopolygalacturonase-inhibiting protein is         described by Toubart et al., Plant J., 2:367 (1992).     -   R. A developmental-arrest protein produced in nature by a plant.         For example, Logemann et al., Bio/Technology, 10:305 (1992)         reported that transgenic plants expressing the barley         ribosome-inactivating gene have an increased resistance to         fungal disease.         2. Genes that Confer Additional Resistance to a Herbicide,         beyond that which is Inherent in ‘CL261,’ for Example:     -   A. A herbicide that inhibits the growing point or meristem, such         as an imidazolinone or a sulfonylurea. Exemplary genes in this         category code for mutant ALS and AHAS enzymes as described, for         example, by Lee et al., EMBO J., 7:1241 (1988); and Miki et al.,         Theor. Appl. Genet., 80:449 (1990), respectively. See,         additionally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,545,822; 5,736,629; 5,773,703;         5,773,704; 5,952,553; 6,274,796; 6,943,280; 7,019,196;         7,345,221; 7,399,905; and Published International Patent         Applications WO 00/27182 and WO 01/85970. Resistance to         AHAS-acting herbicides may be through a mechanism other than a         resistant AHAS enzyme. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,822.     -   B. Glyphosate. Resistance may be imparted by mutant         5-enolpyruvl-3-phosphikimate synthase (EPSP) and aroA genes.         Other phosphono compounds such as glufosinate. Resistance may be         imparted by phosphinothricin acetyl transferase, PAT and         Streptomyces hygroscopicus phosphinothricin-acetyl transferase,         bar, genes. Pyridinoxy or phenoxy propionic acids and         cyclohexones. Resistance may be imparted by ACCase         inhibitor-encoding genes. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,835 to         Shah et al., which discloses the nucleotide sequence of a form         of EPSP that confers glyphosate resistance. A DNA molecule         encoding a mutant aroA gene can be obtained under ATCC Accession         Number 39256, and the nucleotide sequence of the mutant gene is         disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,061 to Comai. European Patent         Application No. 0333033 to Kumada et al.; and U.S. Pat. No.         4,975,374 to Goodman et al., disclose nucleotide sequences of         glutamine synthetase genes that confer resistance to herbicides         such as L-phosphinothricin. The nucleotide sequence of a         phosphinothricin-acetyl-transferase gene is provided in European         Application No. 0242246 to Leemans et al. and DeGreef et al.,         Bio/Technology, 7:61 (1989), describing the production of         transgenic plants that express chimeric bar genes coding for         phosphinothricin acetyl transferase activity. Examples of genes         conferring resistance to phenoxy propionic acids and         cyclohexones, such as sethoxydim and haloxyfop, are the Accl-S1,         Accl-S2, and Accl-S3 genes described by Marshall et al., Theor.         Appl. Genet., 83:435 (1992).     -   C. A herbicide that inhibits photosynthesis, such as a triazine         (psbA and gs+ genes) or a benzonitrile (nitrilase gene).         Przibilla et al., Plant Cell, 3:169 (1991), describe the         transformation of Chlamydomonas with plasmids encoding mutant         psbA genes. Nucleotide sequences for nitrilase genes are         disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,648 to Stalker, and DNA         molecules containing these genes are available under ATCC         Accession Nos. 53435, 67441, and 67442. Cloning and expression         of DNA coding for a glutathione S-transferase is described by         Hayes et al., Biochem. J., 285:173 (1992).         3. Genes that Confer or Contribute to a Value-added Trait, such         as:     -   A. Modified fatty acid metabolism, for example, by transforming         a plant with an antisense sequence to stearyl-ACP desaturase, to         increase stearic acid content of the plant. See Knultzon et al.,         Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 89:2624 (1992).     -   B. Decreased Phytate Content         -   1) Introduction of a phytase-encoding gene would enhance             breakdown of phytate, adding more free phosphate to the             transformed plant. See, e.g., Van Hartingsveldt et al.,             Gene, 127:87 (1993), which discloses the nucleotide sequence             of an Aspergillus niger phytase gene.         -   2) A gene may be introduced to reduce phytate content. For             example, this may be accomplished by cloning, and then             reintroducing DNA associated with an allele that is             responsible for maize mutants characterized by low levels of             phytic acid, or a homologous or analogous mutation in rice             may be used. See Raboy et al., Maydica, 35:383 (1990).     -   C. Carbohydrate composition may be modified, for example, by         transforming plants with a gene coding for an enzyme that alters         the branching pattern of starch. See Shiroza et al., J.         Bacteol., 170:810 (1988) (nucleotide sequence of Streptococcus         mutant fructosyltransferase gene); Steinmetz et al., Mol. Gen.         Genet., 20:220 (1985) (nucleotide sequence of Bacillus subtilis         levansucrase gene); Pen et al., Bio/Technology, 10:292 (1992)         (production of transgenic plants that express Bacillus         lichenifonnis amylase); Elliot et al., Plant Molec. Biol.,         21:515 (1993) (nucleotide sequences of tomato invertase genes);         Søgaard et al., J. Biol. Chem., 268:22480 (1993) (site-directed         mutagenesis of barley amylase gene); and Fisher et al., Plant         Physiol., 102:1045 (1993) (maize endosperm starch branching         enzyme 11).

Methods for Rice Transformation

Numerous methods for plant transformation are known in the art, including both biological and physical transformation protocols. See, e.g., Miki, et al., “Procedures for Introducing Foreign DNA into Plants” in Methods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology; Glick B. R. and Thompson, J. E. (Eds.) (CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, 1993), pp. 67-88. In addition, expression vectors and in vitro culture methods for plant cell or tissue transformation and regeneration of plants are known in the art. See, e.g., Gruber et al., “Vectors for Plant Transformation” in Methods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Glick B. R. and Thompson, J. E. (Eds.) (CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, 1993), pp. 89-119.

A. Agrobacterium-Mediated Transformation

One method for introducing an expression vector into plants is based on the natural transformation system of Agrobacterium. See, e.g., Horsch et al., Science, 227:1229 (1985). A. tumefaciens and A. rhizogenes are plant pathogenic soil bacteria that genetically transform plant cells. The Ti and Ri plasmids of A. tumefaciens and A. rhizogenes, respectively, carry genes responsible for genetic transformation of plants. See, e.g., Kado, C. I., Crit. Rev. Plant Sci., 10:1 (1991). Descriptions of Agrobacterium vector systems and methods for Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer are provided by Gruber et al., supra; Miki et al., supra; and Moloney, et al., Plant Cell Reports, 8:238 (1989). See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,616.

B. Direct Gene Transfer

Despite the fact the host range for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation is broad, it is more difficult to transform some cereal crop species and gymnosperms via this mode of gene transfer, although success has been achieved in both rice and corn. See Hiei et al., The Plant Journal, 6:271-282 (1994); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,616. Other methods of plant transformation exist as alternatives to Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.

A generally applicable method of plant transformation is microprojectile-mediated (so-called “gene gun”) transformation, in which DNA is carried on the surface of microprojectiles, typically 1 to 4 μm in diameter. The expression vector is introduced into plant tissues with a biolistic device that accelerates the microprojectiles to typical speeds of 300 to 600 m/s, sufficient to penetrate plant cell walls and membranes. Sanford et al., Part. Sci. Technol., 5:27 (1987); Sanford, J. C., Trends Biotech., 6:299 (1988); Klein et al., Bio/Technology, 6:559-563 (1988); Sanford, J. C., Physiol Plant, 7:206 (1990); and Klein et al., Biotechnology, 10:268 (1992). Various target tissues may be bombarded with DNA-coated microprojectiles to produce transgenic plants, including, for example, callus (Type I or Type II), immature embryos, and meristematic tissue.

Another method for physical delivery of DNA to plants is sonication of target cells. Zhang et al., Bio/Technology, 9:996 (1991). Alternatively, liposome or spheroplast fusion has been used to introduce expression vectors into plants. Deshayes et al., EMBO J., 4:2731 (1985); and Christou et al., Proc Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 84:3962 (1987). Direct uptake of DNA into protoplasts, using CaCl₂ precipitation, polyvinyl alcohol or poly-L-ornithine, has also been reported. Hain et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 199:161 (1985); and Draper et al., Plant Cell Physiol., 23:451 (1982). Electroporation of protoplasts and whole cells and tissues has also been described. Donn et al., in Abstracts of VIIth International Congress on Plant Cell and Tissue Culture IAPTC, A2-38, p. 53 (1990); D'Halluin et al., Plant Cell, 4:1495-1505 (1992); and Spencer et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 24:51-61 (1994).

Following transformation of rice target tissues, expression of a selectable marker gene allows preferential selection of transformed cells, tissues, or plants, using regeneration and selection methods known in the art.

These methods of transformation may be used for producing a transgenic inbred line. The transgenic inbred line may then be crossed with another inbred line (itself either transformed or non-transformed), to produce a new transgenic inbred line. Alternatively, a genetic trait that has been engineered into a particular rice line may be moved into another line using traditional crossing and backcrossing techniques. For example, backcrossing may be used to move an engineered trait from a public, non-elite inbred line into an elite inbred line, or from an inbred line containing a foreign gene in its genome into an inbred line or lines that do not contain that gene.

The term “inbred rice plant” should be understood also to include single gene conversions of an inbred line. Backcrossing methods can be used with the present invention to improve or introduce a characteristic into an inbred line.

Many single gene traits have been identified that are not regularly selected for in the development of a new inbred line, but that may be improved by crossing and backcrossing. Single gene traits may or may not be transgenic. Examples of such traits include male sterility, waxy starch, herbicide resistance, resistance for bacterial or fungal or viral disease, insect resistance, male fertility, enhanced nutritional quality, yield stability, and yield enhancement. These genes are generally inherited through the nucleus. Known exceptions to the nuclear genes include some genes for male sterility that are inherited cytoplasmically, but that still act functionally as single gene traits. Several single gene traits are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,777,196; 5,948,957; and 5,969,212.

DEPOSIT INFORMATION

A sample of the rice cultivar designated ‘CL261’ was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209 on Oct. 8, 2009, and was assigned ATCC Accession No. PTA-10388. This deposit was made under the Budapest Treaty.

MISCELLANEOUS

The complete disclosures of all references cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. In the event of an otherwise irreconcilable conflict, however, the present specification shall control. 

What is claimed:
 1. A rice seed of the variety ‘CL261,’ wherein a representative sample of said seed has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-10388.
 2. A plant, or a part thereof, produced by growing the seed of claim
 1. 3. A method for producing rice plants, said method comprising planting a plurality of rice seeds as recited in claim 1 under conditions favorable for the growth of rice plants.
 4. The method of claim 3, additionally comprising the step of producing rice seed from the resulting rice plants.
 5. A rice seed produced by the method of claim
 4. 6. The method of claim 3, additionally comprising the step of applying herbicide in the vicinity of the rice plants to control weeds, wherein the herbicide normally inhibits acetohydroxyacid synthase, at levels of the herbicide that would normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the herbicide comprises a sulfonylurea.
 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the herbicide comprises an imidazolinone.
 9. The method of claim 6, wherein the herbicide comprises imazethapyr or imazamox.
 10. Pollen of the plant of claim
 2. 11. An ovule of the plant of claim
 2. 12. A rice plant, or a part thereof, having essentially all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of the rice plant of claim 2, including the imidazolinone herbicide resistance characteristics of ‘CL261’.
 13. A tissue culture of regenerable cells or protoplasts produced from the rice plant of claim
 2. 14. The tissue culture of claim 13, wherein said cells or protoplasts are produced from a tissue selected from the group consisting of embryos, meristematic cells, pollen, leaves, anthers, roots, root tips, flowers, seeds, and stems.
 15. A rice plant regenerated from the tissue culture of claim 14, said rice plant having all or essentially all of the morphological and physiological characteristics of ‘CL261,’ including the imidazolinone herbicide resistance characteristics of ‘CL261’.
 16. A method for producing rice seed, said method comprising crossing a first parent rice plant with a second parent rice plant, and harvesting the resulting hybrid rice seed, wherein the first parent rice plant or the second parent rice plant is the rice plant of claim 2, wherein, if the hybrid rice seed is grown, then the rice plants grown from the hybrid rice seed will express the imidazolinone herbicide resistance characteristics of ‘CL261’.
 17. The method of claim 16, additionally comprising the step of planting a plurality of the hybrid rice seed under conditions favorable for the growth of rice plants.
 18. The method of claim 17, additionally comprising the step of producing rice seed from the resulting rice plants; wherein, if the resulting rice seed is grown, then at least some rice plants grown from the resulting rice seed will express the imidazolinone herbicide resistance characteristics of ‘CL261’.
 19. The method of claim 17, additionally comprising the step of applying herbicide in the vicinity of the rice plants to control weeds, wherein the herbicide normally inhibits acetohydroxyacid synthase, at levels of the herbicide that would normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the herbicide comprises a sulfonylurea.
 21. The method of claim 19, wherein the herbicide comprises an imidazolinone.
 22. The method of claim 19, wherein the herbicide comprises imazethapyr or imazamox.
 23. A method of producing a rice plant with enhanced herbicide resistance, said method comprising transforming the rice plant of claim 2 with a transgene that confers herbicide resistance, in addition to the herbicide resistance that is inherent in ‘CL261’ rice.
 24. A herbicide resistant rice plant or rice seed produced by the method of claim
 23. 25. A method of producing an insect resistant rice plant, said method comprising transforming the rice plant of claim 2 with a transgene that confers insect resistance.
 26. An insect resistant rice plant or rice seed produced by the method of claim
 25. 27. A method of producing a disease resistant rice plant, said method comprising transforming the rice plant of claim 2 with a transgene that confers disease resistance.
 28. A disease resistant rice plant or rice seed produced by the method of claim
 27. 29. A method of producing a rice plant with modified fatty acid or modified carbohydrate metabolism, said method comprising transforming the rice plant of claim 2 with at least one transgene encoding a protein selected from the group consisting of fructosyltransferase, levansucrase, alpha-amylase, invertase, and starch-branching enzyme; or encoding an antisense sequence to stearyl-ACP desaturase.
 30. A rice plant or rice seed having modified fatty acid or modified carbohydrate metabolism, wherein said rice plant or rice seed is produced by the method of claim
 29. 31. A method of introducing a desired trait into rice cultivar ‘CL261,’ said method comprising the steps of: (a) crossing plants as recited in claim 2 with plants of another rice line expressing the desired trait, to produce progeny plants; (b) selecting progeny plants that express the desired trait, to produce selected progeny plants; (c) crossing the selected progeny plants with plants as recited in claim 2 to produce new progeny plants; (d) selecting new progeny plants that express both the desired trait and some or all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of rice cultivar ‘CL261,’ to produce new selected progeny plants; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) three or more times in succession, to produce selected higher generation backcross progeny plants that express both the desired trait and essentially all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of rice cultivar ‘CL261,’ as described in the VARIETY DESCRIPTION INFORMATION of the specification, determined at a 5% significance level, when grown in the same environmental conditions; and wherein the selected plants express the imidazolinone herbicide resistance characteristics of ‘CL261’.
 32. A rice seed produced by the method of claim 31; wherein, if said rice seed is grown, then the rice plants grown from said rice seed will express the imidazolinone herbicide resistance characteristics of ‘CL261’.
 33. The method of claim 31, additionally comprising the step of planting a plurality of rice seed produced by selected higher generation backcross progeny plants under conditions favorable for the growth of rice plants.
 34. The method of claim 33, additionally comprising the step of producing rice seed from the resulting rice plants.
 35. A rice seed resulting from the method of claim 34; wherein, if said resulting rice seed is grown, then the rice plants grown from said resulting rice seed will express the imidazolinone herbicide resistance characteristics of ‘CL261’.
 36. The method of claim 33, additionally comprising the step of applying herbicide in the vicinity of the rice plants to control weeds, wherein the herbicide normally inhibits acetohydroxyacid synthase, at levels of the herbicide that would normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant.
 37. The method of claim 36, wherein the herbicide comprises a sulfonylurea.
 38. The method of claim 36, wherein the herbicide comprises an imidazolinone.
 39. The method of claim 36, wherein the herbicide comprises imazethapyr or imazamox.
 40. The method of claim 31, wherein the desired trait is selected from the group consisting of male sterility; herbicide resistance; insect resistance; and resistance to bacterial, fungal, or viral disease.
 41. A method for producing hybrid rice seed; said method comprising crossing a first parent rice plant with a second parent rice plant, and harvesting the resulting hybrid rice seed; wherein either the first parent rice plant, or the second parent rice plant, but not both, is a rice plant of the variety ‘CL261’; wherein a representative sample of rice seed of the variety ‘CL261’ has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-10388; and wherein, if the hybrid rice seed is grown, then the resulting hybrid rice plants will express the following characteristics: (a) the hybrid rice plant expresses a mutant acetohydroxyacid synthase whose enzymatic activity is directly resistant to normally-inhibitory levels of a herbicidally-effective imidazolinone; (b) the hybrid rice plant is resistant to each of the following imidazolinone herbicides, at levels of the imidazolinone herbicides that would normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant: imazethapyr, imazapic, imazaquin, imazamox, and imazapyr; (c) the hybrid rice plant is resistant to each of the following sulfonylurea herbicides, at levels of the sulfonylurea herbicides that would normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant: nicosulfuron, metsulfuron methyl, thifensulfuron methyl, and tribenuron methyl; and (d) the hybrid rice plant is sensitive to each of the following sulfonylurea herbicides, at levels of the sulfonylurea herbicides that would normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant: sulfometuron methyl, chlorimuron ethyl, and rimsulfuron.
 42. A method for producing rice plants, said method comprising planting a plurality of hybrid rice seeds produced by the method of claim 41 under conditions favorable for the growth of rice plants.
 43. A method as recited in claim 42, additionally comprising the step of harvesting rice seed produced by the resulting hybrid rice plants.
 44. A method as recited in claim 42, additionally comprising the step of applying herbicide in the vicinity of the rice plants to control weeds, wherein the herbicide normally inhibits acetohydroxyacid synthase, at levels of the herbicide that would normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant.
 45. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein the herbicide comprises a herbicidally effective sulfonylurea.
 46. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein the herbicide comprises a herbicidally effective imidazolinone.
 47. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein the herbicide comprises imazethapyr or imazamox.
 48. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein either the first parent or the second parent is male-sterile.
 49. A method of producing a rice plant with enhanced herbicide resistance; said method comprising transforming a rice plant of the variety ‘CL261’ with a transgene that confers herbicide resistance, in addition to the herbicide resistance that is inherent in ‘CL261’ rice; wherein a representative sample of rice seed of the variety ‘CL261’ has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-10388; and wherein the transformed rice plants express the following characteristics: (a) the rice plant expresses a mutant acetohydroxyacid synthase whose enzymatic activity is directly resistant to normally-inhibitory levels of a herbicidally-effective imidazolinone; (b) the rice plant is resistant to each of the following imidazolinone herbicides, at levels of the imidazolinone herbicides that would normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant: imazethapyr, imazapic, imazaquin, imazamox, and imazapyr; (c) the rice plant is resistant to each of the following sulfonylurea herbicides, at levels of the sulfonylurea herbicides that would normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant: nicosulfuron, metsulfuron methyl, thifensulfuron methyl, and tribenuron methyl; and (d) the rice plant is sensitive to each of the following sulfonylurea herbicides, at levels of the sulfonylurea herbicides that would normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant: sulfometuron methyl, chlorimuron ethyl, and rimsulfuron.
 50. A herbicide resistant rice plant or rice seed produced by the method of claim 49, wherein the transformed rice plants or the rice plants grown from the transformed rice seed will express the following characteristics: (a) the rice plant expresses a mutant acetohydroxyacid synthase whose enzymatic activity is directly resistant to normally-inhibitory levels of a herbicidally-effective imidazolinone; (b) the rice plant is resistant to each of the following imidazolinone herbicides, at levels of the imidazolinone herbicides that would normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant: imazethapyr, imazapic, imazaquin, imazamox, and imazapyr; (c) the rice plant is resistant to each of the following sulfonylurea herbicides, at levels of the sulfonylurea herbicides that would normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant: nicosulfuron, metsulfuron methyl, thifensulfuron methyl, and tribenuron methyl; and (d) the rice plant is sensitive to each of the following sulfonylurea herbicides, at levels of the sulfonylurea herbicides that would normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant: sulfometuron methyl, chlorimuron ethyl, and rimsulfuron.
 51. A method of producing an insect resistant rice plant, said method comprising transforming a rice plant of the variety ‘CL261’ with a transgene that confers insect resistance; wherein a representative sample of rice seed of the variety ‘CL261’ has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-10388.
 52. An insect resistant rice plant or rice seed produced by the method of claim
 51. 53. A method of producing a disease resistant rice plant, said method comprising transforming a rice plant of the variety ‘CL261’ with a transgene that confers disease resistance; wherein a representative sample of rice seed of the variety ‘CL261’ has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-10388.
 54. A disease resistant rice plant or rice seed produced by the method of claim
 53. 55. A method of producing a rice plant with modified fatty acid or carbohydrate metabolism, said method comprising transforming a rice plant of the variety ‘CL261’ with at least one transgene encoding a protein selected from the group consisting of fructosyltransferase, levansucrase, alpha-amylase, invertase, and starch-branching enzyme; or encoding an antisense sequence to stearyl-ACP desaturase; wherein a representative sample of rice seed of the variety ‘CL261’ has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-10388.
 56. A rice plant or rice seed having modified fatty acid or carbohydrate metabolism, wherein said rice plant or rice seed is produced by the method of claim
 55. 57. A method of introducing a desired trait into rice cultivar ‘CL261’, said method comprising the steps of: (a) crossing rice cultivar ‘CL261’ with plants of another rice line expressing the desired trait, to produce progeny plants; wherein a representative sample of rice seed of the variety ‘CL261’ has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-10388; (b) selecting progeny plants that express the desired trait, to produce selected progeny plants; (c) crossing the selected progeny plants with ‘CL261’ plants to produce new progeny plants; (d) selecting new progeny plants that express both the desired trait and some or all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of rice cultivar ‘CL261,’ to produce new selected progeny plants; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) three or more times in succession, to produce selected higher generation backcross progeny plants that express both the desired trait and essentially all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of rice cultivar ‘CL261,’ as described in the VARIETY DESCRIPTION INFORMATION of the specification, determined at a 5% significance level, when grown in the same environmental conditions; (f) the selected higher generation backcross progeny plants express a mutant acetohydroxyacid synthase whose enzymatic activity is directly resistant to normally-inhibitory levels of a herbicidally-effective imidazolinone; (g) the selected higher generation backcross progeny plant is resistant to each of the following imidazolinone herbicides, at levels of the imidazolinone herbicides that would normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant: imazethapyr, imazapic, imazaquin, imazamox, and imazapyr; (h) the selected higher generation backcross progeny plant is resistant to each of the following sulfonylurea herbicides, at levels of the sulfonylurea herbicides that would normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant: nicosulfuron, metsulfuron methyl, thifensulfuron methyl, and tribenuron methyl; and (i) the selected higher generation backcross progeny plant is sensitive to each of the following sulfonylurea herbicides, at levels of the sulfonylurea herbicides that would normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant: sulfometuron methyl, chlorimuron ethyl, and rimsulfuron.
 58. A rice seed harvested from selected higher generation backcross progeny plants produced by the method of claim 57; wherein, if said rice seed is grown, then the resulting hybrid rice plants will express the following characteristics: (a) the rice plant expresses a mutant acetohydroxyacid synthase whose enzymatic activity is directly resistant to normally-inhibitory levels of a herbicidally-effective imidazolinone; (b) the rice plant is resistant to each of the following imidazolinone herbicides, at levels of the imidazolinone herbicides that would normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant: imazethapyr, imazapic, imazaquin, imazamox, and imazapyr; (c) the rice plant is resistant to each of the following sulfonylurea herbicides, at levels of the sulfonylurea herbicides that would normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant: nicosulfuron, metsulfuron methyl, thifensulfuron methyl, and tribenuron methyl; and (d) the rice plant is sensitive to each of the following sulfonylurea herbicides, at levels of the sulfonylurea herbicides that would normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant: sulfometuron methyl, chlorimuron ethyl, and rimsulfuron.
 59. The method of claim 57, additionally comprising the step of planting, under conditions favorable for the growth of rice plants, a plurality of rice seed harvested from selected higher generation backcross progeny plants.
 60. A method as recited in claim 59, additionally comprising the step of harvesting rice seed produced by the resulting rice plants.
 61. A rice seed harvested by the method of claim
 60. 62. A method as recited in claim 59, additionally comprising the step of applying herbicide in the vicinity of the rice plants to control weeds, wherein the herbicide normally inhibits acetohydroxyacid synthase, at levels of the herbicide that would normally inhibit the growth of a rice plant.
 63. A method as recited in claim 62, wherein the herbicide comprises a herbicidally effective sulfonylurea.
 64. A method as recited in claim 62, wherein the herbicide comprises a herbicidally effective imidazolinone.
 65. A method as recited in claim 62, wherein the herbicide comprises imazethapyr or imazamox.
 66. The method of claim 57, wherein the desired trait is selected from the group consisting of male sterility; herbicide resistance; insect resistance; and resistance to bacterial, fungal, or viral disease.
 67. A method for controlling weeds in the vicinity of rice, comprising contacting the rice with a herbicide, wherein said rice belongs to any of (a) variety ‘CL261’ or (b) a hybrid or progeny of ‘CL261’ that expresses the imidazolinone herbicide resistance characteristics of ‘CL261’.
 68. The method according to claim 67, wherein the herbicide is an imidazolinone herbicide, a sulfonylurea herbicide, or a combination thereof.
 69. The method according to claim 67, wherein the rice is a rice plant and said contacting comprises applying the herbicide in the vicinity of the rice plant.
 70. The method according to claim 69, wherein the herbicide is applied to weeds in the vicinity of the rice plant.
 71. The method according to claim 67, wherein the rice is a rice seed and said contacting comprises applying the herbicide to the rice seed.
 72. A method for treating rice, comprising contacting the rice with an agronomically acceptable composition, wherein said rice belongs to any of (a) variety ‘CL261’ or (b) a hybrid or progeny of ‘CL261’ that expresses the imidazolinone herbicide resistance characteristics of ‘CL261’.
 73. The method according to claim 72, wherein the agronomically acceptable composition comprises at least one agronomically acceptable active ingredient.
 74. The method according to claim 73, wherein the agronomically acceptable active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of fungicides, insecticides, antibiotics, stress tolerance-enhancing compounds, growth promoters, herbicides, molluscicides, rodenticides, and animal repellants, and combinations thereof. 